Every entrepreneur, executive, and business owner deals with the dread of the unknown, no matter their experience. The question is what we do with uncertainty. I'm going to give you a brief overview of some helpful mindsets.
If you really want to go deep into understanding uncertainty and how to think about it, then I highly recommend you read Nassim Taleb's book "Antifragile." His writing and research have been one of the most influential factors in shaping how I think about and approach uncertainty in everything I do.
Escaping uncertainty is an illusion. Many people think that if they get a job with a big, established company and get benefits and a sizable salary, they have arrived at financial security. But that's not true. We can look around and see story after story of someone that spent most of their career in one job only to lose that job or to have the company go under and, suddenly, they're out trying to figure out how to make a living again. We've also seen in recent history how major factors can dramatically upset what we assume is normal. Think of 9/11, the financial crash of 2008, or the COVID-19 global shutdown. Each of those events dramatically changed our lives and our work. Each of these major instances shows us that everything can change in a moment.
So how to think about certainty? What we need to be thinking about is not how do we create certainty but rather how do we adapt and react in an inescapably uncertain environment. So let's talk about your business. Here's an opportunity for massive uncertainty. Will you be able to get the next client? Will you be able to keep cash flow up? Will you be able to create the next product? All of these questions are very real, representing a threat that could significantly harm—if not ruin—your business.
Nassim Taleb talks about shocks to the system in "Antifragile." What he argues is that more consistent exposure to lower levels of uncertainty—shocks to the system—better prepares you to withstand larger shocks to the system. If you spend most of your career in an environment where you do not feel like you are actually facing uncertainty and something unexpected happens, the chances are you will not be well-equipped to adapt.
As you design and implement your growth strategy, you'll have to become comfortable with being uncomfortable in the midst of uncertainty. As humans, we tend to avoid change because it threatens certainty. As we go through the value mapping process, you might find misalignments between your target market and your business offerings. Or you might find that the product you have been pushing for years isn't the best solution you offer for your customer's needs. Let's approach the process with a growth mindset and embrace the uncertainty that comes up, so we build a resilient business and unlock growth. The better you are at handling and adapting to uncertain environments, the more real security you're going to build in your life and in your business.
Every entrepreneur, executive, and business owner deals with the dread of the unknown, no matter their experience. The question is what we do with uncertainty. I'm going to give you a brief overview of some helpful mindsets.
If you really want to go deep into understanding uncertainty and how to think about it, then I highly recommend you read Nassim Taleb's book "Antifragile." His writing and research have been one of the most influential factors in shaping how I think about and approach uncertainty in everything I do.
Escaping uncertainty is an illusion. Many people think that if they get a job with a big, established company and get benefits and a sizable salary, they have arrived at financial security. But that's not true. We can look around and see story after story of someone that spent most of their career in one job only to lose that job or to have the company go under and, suddenly, they're out trying to figure out how to make a living again. We've also seen in recent history how major factors can dramatically upset what we assume is normal. Think of 9/11, the financial crash of 2008, or the COVID-19 global shutdown. Each of those events dramatically changed our lives and our work. Each of these major instances shows us that everything can change in a moment.
So how to think about certainty? What we need to be thinking about is not how do we create certainty but rather how do we adapt and react in an inescapably uncertain environment. So let's talk about your business. Here's an opportunity for massive uncertainty. Will you be able to get the next client? Will you be able to keep cash flow up? Will you be able to create the next product? All of these questions are very real, representing a threat that could significantly harm—if not ruin—your business.
Nassim Taleb talks about shocks to the system in "Antifragile." What he argues is that more consistent exposure to lower levels of uncertainty—shocks to the system—better prepares you to withstand larger shocks to the system. If you spend most of your career in an environment where you do not feel like you are actually facing uncertainty and something unexpected happens, the chances are you will not be well-equipped to adapt.
As you design and implement your growth strategy, you'll have to become comfortable with being uncomfortable in the midst of uncertainty. As humans, we tend to avoid change because it threatens certainty. As we go through the value mapping process, you might find misalignments between your target market and your business offerings. Or you might find that the product you have been pushing for years isn't the best solution you offer for your customer's needs. Let's approach the process with a growth mindset and embrace the uncertainty that comes up, so we build a resilient business and unlock growth. The better you are at handling and adapting to uncertain environments, the more real security you're going to build in your life and in your business.